


To Take A Gamble

by Sachi_Grace



Series: To Catch a Liar [5]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Thieves, Fluff, M/M, Phantom Thief AU, Saiouma Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25209178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sachi_Grace/pseuds/Sachi_Grace
Summary: Day 5 of Saiouma Week: Phantom Thief/Casino/ Truth and LiesDirect Sequel to A Trail of FlowersShuichi is trying to track down his thief who stole the Katana. After following the advice about trying to find information about the thief and the artifacts by going into Hangman's Gambit does Shuichi realize that he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Series: To Catch a Liar [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808653
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59
Collections: SaiOuma Week 2020





	To Take A Gamble

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Trail of Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101814) by [Sachi_Grace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sachi_Grace/pseuds/Sachi_Grace). 



> Algebra is kicking my ass among other things, so I'm trying to get as much done as I can for ship weeks and for my own event that I plan to run in September @_@. Thank you so much to Saiouma Week for hosting this event, I'm going to try to get all the week done today before midnight. Wish me luck oh my god.
> 
> Thank you to those who have been following me thus far. I appreciate every single on of you.

Home was a strange concept to Shuichi. He was used to staying in his office until the wee hours of the night when dawn would break. The interior was dark enough for comfort if he decided to sleep on his desk once more. Yet, Kaede saw him return from his trip to the Kazaryu Estate and immediately barred his way from getting into the office until he slept. The bags under his eyes were enough of an indicator that sleep did not come easily to the detective, and Kaede worried about his declining health. The apartment was brighter, had more lights and windows. There was a coating of dust and papers strewn on the coffee table. The moment Shuichi sat down on the couch to think about the case, the bone weariness of his travels seeped through. His head ached something fierce, pounding softly behind the left of his eye. He laid down across the couch, and his body immediately cried in relief from standing and sitting for so long in front of the guest room’s desk.

Shuichi twirled the flower in his hand, his mind racing to connect the dots that the thief had left for him when he returned from his trip. The Collar was safely on the Island. Shuichi had a feeling that the locals were so protective of their treasure, that it would take someone with connections to the Island to think about stealing it away. The legends never gave a location; the rumors were merely stories passed down from word of mouth, every detail twisted to the speaker’s liking. The thief must have known that. The thief must have had the thought that the locals were going to keep it secret. He was confident that they had crossed paths on the Island; the thief did not steal the Katana first. He was certain that while Shuichi was making sure that the Collar was secure, the thief was trying to dig up the stories.

_“The guards are all doubled.”_

Something about Kokichi’s statement felt untrue and sincere all at once. There was no doubt that if the Collar had guards, they would have been doubled, tripled even during the night of the event. Kokichi could have easily assumed that from the festival and from the number of locals and tourists who were possible thieves as well. Yet, something about the way he said it still made Shuichi go back to the conversation again and again.

He could still taste the blue raspberry of the candy floss in the back of his mouth if he tried hard enough. The kiss was sickeningly sweet and spontaneous enough for it to linger. Kokichi did not remain after the firework show. He bailed soon after the finale, leaving Shuichi with more questions about the kiss and who Kokichi was than he had when they first met. Shuichi twirled the flower again.

Research of the flower told him that the meaning was useless as a clue. Beauty and femininity? Refined? The definitions could have matched the Swordmaster, but Shuichi did not recall any story that would paint the Swordmaster as a delicate woman. He recalled stories of the Swordmaster being loyal to a deadly fault. Stories of her successes and her triumphs did not paint her in any manner that Shuichi would consider traditional femininity. Perhaps that was why the lily was there. A throwaway clue. A red-herring. 

Yet, Shuichi could not let it go. The flowers meant something before, so surely they would again. He found it interesting that the thief chose the color blue when most of the townspeople would associate the Swordmaster with the color white or red. Red, they would tell him, for the color of the blood that she could spill. White for the color of her hair, though stories would switch it to blond on occasion.

The Pin of Nanami had been an interesting choice to go after for the first big heist. To go after the Swordmaster’s Katana could have been considered a suicide. Yet the guards were not alerted to anything strange. No one saw anything happen in the dead of night. The magical alarms had all be disabled; not a single one went off. 

“What kind of magic are you?” Shuichi asked the silence of the room, twirling the flower again. He felt as though the answer was obvious, right there in front of him. It bothered him to think that he might have witnessed said magic before, and never said a word about it. 

The thought went back to Kokichi, Shuichi set the flower down on the table, among the papers of the case. Two items of the Despair Era stolen, and no one had a clue as to why or where. The Kazuryua family were desperate to get the treasure back, as they should. The Swordmaster was considered a deity at this point in their family lore. Their Leader had been by her side for some time. An ancestral mother, if one were to believe them. 

He found it strange that the only the Katana was stolen, but nothing of the Leader. Then again, the Kazuryua family didn’t display themselves. Leaders hid in the background, last resort. The Swordmaster, he supposed, would have been considered a prized treasure during her lifetime. He doubted the thief would rob a grave to steal bones just to piss off the family more.

No, he was going after artifacts that were supposed to be left sealed. If the Collar was too hard to get to, and the Sword was considered manageable, then what was the next happy medium that he could go for? Shuichi racked his brain of the legends, trying to remember them all. He recalled the pictures hanging from the Island’s resort.

Would he go after the Princess? The Tiara? No. Shuichi swallowed that back. Would he? He looked at the flower again. He was going to need sleep soon if he did not want to drive himself into circles. 

X

The next morning Shuichi was nowhere close to answers. He thought of trying to get a hold of Rantaro, but he could be on a ship for all he knew. The only other person that Shuichi could think of that would have an intimate history with the Despair Era was Korekiyo, and he shuddered at the thought of trying to call him. Korekiyo did not give information with apathetic care. It was less of a lecture and more of the price behind it that gave Shuichi pause. Both him and Miu were the two people Shuichi regularly used a last resort only due to their nature. 

Shuichi was going to hit a wall with his research. No one trusted someone with truth magic, rumors and legends were not up his alley. He thought about asking Rantaro again, a hopeless S.O.S for the phone to ring and have it be him on the other end anyway. However, Shuichi wasn’t into compulsive magic, and the phone remained silent. He went into the kitchen of his apartment. He needed to deep clean this place sooner or later. The dust was starting to coat, the papers that were on the coffee table along with the stains would easily make him look unprofessional if someone comes along.

Not that Shuichi had guests. He flipped the switch onto the coffee maker to let it brew a new fresh pot as he dug the heels of his palms into his eyes. The phosphene was sharp behind his eyelids, he pulled his hands again, blinking blearily to get rid of the light and return his sight to normal. Kokichi flashed into his mind once more. Shuichi decided to let the thought play out rather than trying to stomp it down. Perhaps if he exhausted the idea, it would stop plaguing him.

The boy was an enigma in his own right. He appeared first in the hotel where Shuichi had stayed when he was trying to solve the case about the Pin. The bubbly cheerful demeanor and the constant telling of lies and half-lies were enough to throw anyone off. Yet the first thing Kokichi had done when they met was to insult his taste in literature. 

He was indeed an organizational leader, of how many, that would forever be up in the air. Shuichi doubted the boy would give a straight answer even if they had kissed. Shuichi cupped his hand over his mouth as he recalled the feeling of Kokichi’s tongue gently pressed against his own. How the playful boy was careful in his seductive dance, chasing after the candy floss that was given so easily.

The red on his cheeks burned, Shuichi tried to shake himself out of it. For what purpose the kiss served, Shuichi did not have a clue. Yet the kiss did not feel like a lie. 

Shuichi pinched the bridge of his nose. The constant barrage of thoughts was not going to get him anywhere. Unless Kokichi magically showed up in his life again, which he doubted, there was no telling what the kiss could have meant. He hoped, however, that the boy was okay. He did not see him when he departed the Island, and it broke his heart a little to think that the kiss could have meant something. 

The coffee maker beeped helpfully. Shuichi poured himself a mug. He looked over at the phone that was innocently in the charger. He would have to suck it up. The case would get nowhere if Shuichi dawdled too long. He was only going to have to hope that the price of the information was to listen to a long-winded answer merely. 

He picked up the phone and dialed the number. 

“Saihara-kun,” the soft-spoken voice of Korekiyo answered. Of course, the Scholar would know it was him instantly. “I was wondering if you would call. Amami-kun told me that he met you on Jabberwock.”

“I am sorry if I called at a bad time,” Shuichi walked back towards the couch. He moved the flower delicately to the side and gathered the papers close, “But I require your knowledge. For a price, I know.”

“Amami-kun told me that your thief had stolen precious artifacts from their homes.” Shuichi could detect a faint irritation over the matter. “Unless the thief is foolhardy enough to try to sell them to me, my price would simply be to return those to which needs to be brought back.”

Well, that was not as bad as Shuichi was thinking. The anxiety that had been bubbling in his stomach went to a simmer. “That is what I was hired to do,” Shuichi said.

“Then my library is yours to look through. What in particular has caught your eye?” There was a sound of clinking of glass. Shuichi could envision a china cabinet of jars filled with graveyard dirt and bottled bones. “Any legend that I should tell you?”

“The thief went after the Pin of Nanami and the Swordmaster’s Katana.” Shuichi shuffled the papers, “I have a hunch that he might try to go after something a little more high dollar next, but I do not know where…”

“If one wanted to get information about underground artifacts and jobs, you would want to go to the Hangman’s Gambit.”

Maki would murder him if he decided to show up at the casino. Shuichi tried not to step on the assassin’s toes, but it appeared that they might have to cross paths. He could already feel her hand on his neck, squeezing at his windpipe for thinking of going. Perhaps it would be the better bet to see if Kaito had run into her as of yet, and request that she came along with him as “protection.” She would be less likely to go after him for it, and she would feel less as though he was trying to put himself into too much danger. 

“So, you have no idea as to where the next hit would be?” Shuichi questioned.

“There are many things the thief could go after if he’s looking for any artifact that belongs to the Despair Era. The Hangman’s Gambit used to be the Versailles Witch before the social movement demanded the name to be changed due to its …vile connections. Although those connections were not at all true.” Korekiyo hummed. “People tend to like to write history in a way that they see fit. They like to have this idea that sins should be kept underground, lost to time, not realizing that those sins are lessons as to what not to do. For the thief to go after these artifacts now, makes me wonder as to the worth of them.”

“They are considered priceless,” Shuichi replied slow.

“And yet I have not heard from any of my connections of a good steal or a buy. This would be something that they would toss in anyone’s face,” Korekiyo commented, “so I cannot help but wonder as to the reasoning behind the crime. A challenge, yes. A statement sounds more like what is happening here. Though what is being said, I do not know. That these items can be stolen? I would not doubt that the items in question may have belonged to someone before they were donated or stolen and given to a museum.”

“But why want them back? Why now?”

“That is a question for you, detective,” Korekiyo hummed. “The Pin of Nanami was an interesting choice for a first steal.” He could hear something hit a desk, a massive book by Shuichi’s deduction. Korekiyo breathed for a few seconds before he continued, “she was the martyr that started the Despair Era. Her and the Artificial Artificer.” 

“Nanami was rumored to have imagination magic though. Anything that she could think of, she could dream of, would come to life.” Shuichi felt something click in his mind, a fitted puzzle piece. “I must go. Thank you for the information, Shinguji-kun.”

“Anytime, Saihara-kun. Call again.” 

For now, he would have to see if Kaito knew where Maki was and send a message.

X

“You are aware of what we’re getting into,” Maki spoke as he got off the train, a book tucked in his hand. The last time Shuichi had met her, she had her long hair tied in two pigtails that trailed the floor. Now her hair was short, the strands just barely past her shoulders. Her personality was only slightly warmer than what it used to be. Kaito was a good match for her, and Shuichi was grateful.

“Shinguji-kun said that this would be the best place for finding out information about what the thief could be after. If the assignments are being made here, then all the better.” Shuichi stuffed his hands into his pocket as they walked, dodging the coming and going of foot traffic. “I am sorry for dragging you back into this.”

Maki quickly followed him as though she were a fish climbing up a river rather than down. It was if her magic pushed others away from her without having to say a word, or send a well-timed glare in their direction. “It is what it is. I still cannot believe that you will take his advice.” 

Shuichi could not believe it either, but desperate times called for drastic measures. He wanted to stop the thief in their tracks if he could. If the thief were Kokichi, then him being at the Gambit would prove his hunch correct. It would just have to be working the evidence and catching him in the act that would be left. If it was not Kokichi...then Shuichi could only hope for the best. “I would like to get this done as soon as possible so that we do not have to linger any longer than we have to.” 

“I can try to pull some strings into getting us in there,” Maki hummed. “They have not seen me in some time. Shinguji told you what type of games are played there, right?”

“....Ah, he failed to mention that to me.”

“Figures,” Maki scoffed. They reached the stairs, and the conversation stopped so that they did not waste their breath going up, as well as getting distracted by stopping and halting traffic. The moment they reached back up to the surface of the city, Maki took the lead.

Unlike the colorful country that was Jabberwock, this place was more desolate. The buildings were more grey against a blue backdrop of the day. The technological and electrical magic was the majority here. The signage of the different vendors floated above, crackling with bright neon colors, reflecting from the glass. Monitors were positioned at every intersection, a giant bear face that was half white and black, with a jagged red eye peering at all of them from below. It brought shivers up Shuichi’s spine as the bear’s head jiggled as though it was holding back malicious laughter. 

He could see protestors standing at one said interaction, with a megaphone in her hand. She was wearing a crest on the side of her arm. A shield of sorts, but that was all Shuichi could make out. Her words were lost in the white-noise of the crowd and cars, but he could tell that it was to get rid of the bear face and to stop spying on the city.

Shuichi found three drones in the sky when he looked up when he heard a noise above him. “I never thought that this place would be under tight security.” He commented.

“It is where Despair started. They’re still paranoid to this day.” Maki hummed, “No one wants to donate money for hospitals or schools here. It is considered to be a prison, though no one will say that to anyone’s face. Anyone with any electrical or technological magic is immediately scouted for a higher place in the government system. There is a group called Hope 16 that are trying to dismantle from the inside.”

“Should you ah...be saying that aloud?”

“Everyone knows about it, even the drones. They just do not like to be talking about it.” Maki replied swiftly. “What we need to worry about is a hotel.”

Shuichi had to agree. Talking like this out in the open was a recipe for disaster. 

X

The hotel felt bugged. Shuichi could feel the gaze sharp on his neck. He unplugged the T.V monitor, and while the sink and the bath were automatic, Shuichi found a way to turn the tub and shower on manually without having to press a button. He did a faint sweep of the room, checking the curtains to the air conditioner. He decided to unplug the hotel phone for safe measure. He kept all of his things in his bag, rather than to unpack and put them in the drawers. He did not doubt that Maki was going through the same thorough search of her own, dismantling what she could. He was grateful that he decided not to bring any of his casework with him. He knew that getting to the Hangman’s Gambit was going to be risky. While entirely legal, it did not mean that someone would not use the information to try to defame him or slander him.

There were a couple of knocks at the door not too long after, three sharp and two soft, and Shuichi felt his heart relax slightly from the spike of nerves at the first hit. He walked to the door and flipped the lock before letting it open. Maki stood, wearing a red dress that was tight around the collar and heeled boots. “Ready?” 

“I uh…” Was he supposed to have brought a suit? Shuichi was wearing a white button-down and slacks, but compared to Maki, he felt as though he put little to no effort in his appearance. “I suppose this will have to do.”

Maki’s eyes went to the top of his head, and he felt his cheeks flush. The one strand of hair that she was looking at would never lay flat even if they used all the magic in the world. “I suppose it will.” She agreed. “Remember, this is a gambling place. How much money do you have on you?”

“Enough for a few games, if luck is on my side.” Shuichi swallowed.

“Good. Stick to giving coin only. If someone tries to wager you with promises or information, back off.” Maki entered the room without another word and closed the door behind her. The lock clicked back into place as she gave him a small look. “This may be a bad idea considering that your magic is hereditary, but I know you need to do this.” She said after a moment, “So I will only go over with this you once.”

Shuichi felt his shoulders rollback at the seriousness of her tone, and the way her eyes narrowed in response. She nodded her approval and continued, “Hangman’s Gambit has some rules about magic, but since yours is blood, there isn’t much you can do. They will not take you out for it, but they will try to determine if you are relying on it or not. Act as though you can ignore your magic.” Shuichi nodded after a moment. “I told you before that the event is going to appear “formal,” but it’s a front. Try not to draw attention to yourself. I cannot stay with you, as no one is aware that I have friends. The moment I arrive with you, I am going to act as though I do not know you. Do not try to search for me. I will be playing my own game on getting the information you seek since you may not be able to. That being said, people are quite willing to give the benefit of the doubt, especially since you are with me. If you have to name drop me, associate me as someone you once hired, or someone that you came across.”

“I understand.” Maki was going to attempt to make it appear as though Shuichi had cornered her and forced her to bring him to the Gambit. He was not the best liar, but it was a story that he could roll with. It would give him a step up with the society. It would slight Maki, but not enough to cause a problem. Friends with a detective would be worse than if it was just him making her take him. “Then, I think I am ready for this…”

X

Hangman’s Gambit was located near the center of where the Despair took place. Back when Hope’s Peak was an Academy for the gifted. The building of the school had been destroyed, broken into pieces, and rubble before it was rebuilt as one of the most significant gambling places that the country had ever seen. Some of the foreigners from the countries that allowed refuges saw it as a tasteless monument dedicated to the horrific acts. Anyone with upstanding morals rarely would find themselves in the building due to the reputation and the slander. Despite that, it was better than when it was called the Versailles Witch. 

Shuichi was well aware of what people may think of him if he was spotted going into the building. False hope aside, the rumor mill could buzz. By bringing Maki, he knew that whatever standing he had, it was now wobbling in favor of being in support of the Despair.

There was a line that was leading out from the main entrance of people dressed in clothes that showed more skin than necessary. Confused as to Maki’s and his own choice of attire, he was about to question the logic when Maki pulled him through an alleyway that led them to the back of the building. The hint was clear. The line was for the “front.” Hangman’s Gambit had two sides of it. Shuichi glanced up at the sky, curious to see if any drones would catch them taking the back entrance, but none flew overhead when it had been a constant just as they were coming over.

“A scrambler.” Shuichi noted, “or an electric-barrier.”

Maki did not provide him with an answer. Instead, she dragged him to the backdoor, which blended with the backdrop of the bricked wall. The window of the door was yanked open, and two eyes bore down on them.

“Fickleflower,” Maki said before the person could ask. Shuichi made a mental note to keep the password handy in case he needed to come back here again. The door of the window was shut, then the metal door swung open with a loud groan and whine. 

Soft yellow and bold reds greeted Shuichi as they walked down the metal stairs and into the lower part of the room. Scattered about were different tables of different kinds of games. There was even a spot for darts, just hanging on the wall and nearest to the bar. Everyone was dressed to the nines. The men wore suits and ties, anyone with long hair had it pulled back into slick knots or ponytails. 

Shuichi’s eyes caught a man wearing a white suit, but before he could zero in on who that was, his attention was found with a loud burst of cheers by a roulette table. Most of the women wore tight dresses, plenty of them with sequence, catching the lights of the building and making them sparkle pleasantly.

Magic was desolate. He barely could feel it. He looked around, trying to see if there was some sort of spell or ward that would cancel magic abilities, but found nothing. Was it an honor system? A rule that magic was not allowed here? What about the magic that could not be turned off? He turned his attention to Maki, but she had already disappeared from his side.

Of course. Shuichi was the one that was looking for information. No one would want to talk to him if he was considered to be taken. He was not exactly sure how he was supposed to go about this; what the rules of the place were. Generally, in social situations like this, a drink or two would not hurt. Shuichi did not care for alcohol, but if he were to blend in, then a goblet in his hand would help his appearance. His wallet felt heavy, reminding him that he would have to spend coins and dollars if he were to get anywhere. The problem was where to begin. Appearing relaxed and approachable would be his best bet, but this was a social situation in which he was not in control of. It made anxiety blossom in his heart and freeze his vocal cords. 

A drink would be pleasant, even if it did leave him with a bitter aftertaste if all sorts. 

Shuichi approached the bar and sat upon the stool, taking in the scene. To gather information, he needed a table that spoke the most. The Roulette spinner was crowded and had the most people around. Overhearing something there would be easy. However, if he were looking for the conversation itself, it would not be a card table. Poker too easy to distract and focused. Blackjack was counting and keeping up with cards. Dice was too much luck and jeering.

“How many times will I meet my beloved at a bar, I wonder?”

Shuichi’s attention snapped to see that the man in the white suit had indeed been Kokichi. His tie was checkered black and white, tight against his throat. His hair slicked and pulled back into a ponytail, showing more of his eyes and facial features. There was a light scar on his cheek. Shuichi remembered when it had been covered by the gauze when they first met. “Beloved?” Shuichi questioned.

“Nishishi, I had wondered if you were going to show up here. Much to your misfortune, the thief’s not here! I already searched.” Kokichi took a spot next to him with a smile that made Shuichi’s blood warm.

“That’s a lie,” Shuichi said confidently.

“Oooh, scandalous. Hey! Two glasses of your finest.” Kokichi told the barmaid. Shuichi looked over his shoulder to see that she, too, was dressed in heels and a designer dress. “So Saihara-chan cannot turn off his magic, hmm? No wonder you are sitting here all alone.” Kokichi cooed. “I thought I would come and rescue you by telling you that this is like a theatre only with fewer performances. Or is it more?” His purple eyes glinted. “But your magic is stuck to the blood. It is not taught; it is not learned.”

Shuichi looked away, feeling ashamed of the call out. “I had wondered if that would give me away.”

“No one here likes to be seen.” Kokichi hummed, tapping his fingers against the table, a patient or impatient thrumming Shuichi could not tell. “So what part was my lie this time, beloved? The fact that I searched or the fact that the thief is not here? Answer carefully! Your life may be on the line.”

“You did not search for the thief,” Shuichi was not sure if he should try to pin Kokichi to crime as of yet. Hunches only would get so far; however, he was here three times too many in Shuichi’s opinion. Once after a heist. Once again, during a heist that could have been, and now where a heist was being planned. “I have a reason to suspect that Ouma-kun may be the thief that I am looking for. I just do not have proof as of yet.”

“Serious allegations! I may just cry!” Kokcihi’s eyes had tears starting to form at the corners, threatening to spill. His nose was already turning red. “Saihara-chan is so rude when I just came here to say hello! So mean! So cruel!” Before Shuichi could call him out, the tears disappeared, and the nose that was once red was back to normal. It made Shuihci’s head spin. What kind of magic was that? Glamor? But he didn’t feel anything from Kokichi to indicate as such. “But that is a lie. Well, the crying part. Saihara-chan is cruel, though. Saying such mean things when I stole a kiss from him.” 

He could feel the stickiness of it on his lips, and Shuichi licked at them to get rid of the feeling. Kokichi’s eyes dilated, but Shuichi did not think much of it. The truth of the statement loaded and hung in the atmosphere. He had no proof of Kokichi stealing the Pin or the Katana. He only had his hunch, and that would go nowhere. Taking a kiss did make him a thief.

The glasses slid across the counter. Before Shuichi could stand up to get his wallet out, Kokichi already handed the coins to the barmaid with a simple smile and a cheerful wave. He gently passed the glass towards Shuichi. “Considering that you courted me last time, I suppose I can repay your favor,” Kokichi explained. “So, the detective has decided to make his way into the lion’s den! How exciting! What were you hoping for?”

It was going to suck. “I am….” Here with a friend would not work. Shuichi raked his bottom lip with his teeth, trying to gauge the better answer. “...looking for information, I suppose. On the Artifacts of Despair.”

“Still?” Kokichi pressed a finger against his cheek, tilting his head with wide eyes. “You are still looking for those items? Why? What is your deal with them? Are they not better off hidden somewhere that no one can get at them? If they were are so dangerous, then they should not be on display, do you not think so Shumai?”

“It is not up to the thief to decide that.” 

“Oh? It’s not?” Kokichi’s tone turned dark, and the smile that began to creep on his face made Shuichi’s stomach turn to ice. Once more, he could not feel any magic that was radiating from him. Still, his ability to morph his features into something ghastly and horrifying by will alone was enough to make Shuichi back up a little. “Whose decision should it be?”

“The family. The people that have a tie to it.”

Kokichi’s horrifying smile disappeared into a neutral one; he reached for the glass and took a sip of the contents. Shuichi did not want him to feel slighted, so he also lifted his glass to sip. The taste of white wine dried his mouth out faster than coffee could. “My beloved is smart and naive. Ah, you know, we are in a casino. Betting and gambling, the height of entertainment. But it is so boring just to gamble money and coins, so we’ll play the House Rules instead.”

What? Shuichi was instantly reminded of Maki’s warning about only allowing coin and money to pass through wagers. House rules, it seemed, was a lot more dangerous. A cold sweat beaded at Shuichi’s forehead as he felt nerves clog his throat. “What do you mean?”

“I mean what I mean, gosh Saihara-chan pay attention! We are going to play a game. If you win, you can ask me _aaannnyyy_ one question your little heart desires, and I will answer truthfully. However! If you lose…” Kokichi’s eyes widened, showing the veins of his eyeballs. His bangs helped to cast the sinister shadow around the sockets, giving him a demonic sort of look. “You will have to give your life up to me!”

Shuichi felt his breath catch in his lungs. That was why Maki was so insistent that coin was the only wager. He could shut this whole casino down with that information, but he also knew that the moment he did, any sort of network he could work on would be lost as well. Maki would be tarnished as an assassin, and she would no longer have the upper hand, but a mere target. He also knew that refusing would make him look bad as well. He could feel the gaze of the barmaid. 

No one was going to interfere here. “What sort of game are we playing?”

“A simple one so that my beloved Saihara-chan may have a chance to survive.” The first thought was darts, but Kokichi pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket and began to shuffle them. Shuichi’s eyes watched as the cards were shuffled, bridged, and then shuffled again. He did not want to miss Kokichi trying to slide cards up his sleeve if he thought he could get away with it. “We will draw cards.”

“Um…”

“If my card is higher than yours, your life is mine. If my card is lower than yours, the question is asked.” Kokichi explained, “however, if it is a tie, then we must decide if we draw again or if we leave a mystery a mystery.”

“So, it is just one round.” Shuichi frowned, “That feels too simple.”

“Hmm? Would you like to increase the rounds? Best two out of three then!” Kokichi grinned, shuffling the cards once more before cutting them. “Three for the times that we have met face to face since I am romantic like that.”

“Three because of a cycle of luck,” Shuichi countered. “There is no romance between us, Kokichi.” Before the Leader could try to burst into tears, he drew a card, and Kokichi followed suit silent. 

7 to a 10.

“Wow! Saihara-chan beat me!” Kokichi grinned. “Again!” 

They drew the cards. 

4 to a 4.

“Aw, that is a shame.” Kokichi clicked his tongue. “It appears that one is a neutral standpoint. Well, let us see if it happens again, hm?”

The cards were drawn.

Ace to a Queen.

“Ahhhh, I lost!”

“Wait, we did not decide on what an Ace would be.” Shuichi frowned, “An Ace can beat a Queen or a King, or be lowered in number depending on the game.”

Kokichi merely yanked the cards away from Shuichi. “A game is a game, Saihara-chan. I proclaimed that I lost. Therefore, any one question that you can think of is mine to answer! Truthfully as I stated before.”

Why did Kokichi decide to make his card lower? It would make sense for the liar to claim victory, and yet Shuichi wondered if this was his way of trying to see where the question would go. There were many questions that Shuichi wanted to ask him. The kiss was one that was prominent, but the case needed to come first. 

The thief wanted to steal the Artifacts of Despair. He thought about the portrait back on Jabberwock Island. 

“Ouma-kun...you’re a relative to Nanami Chiaki...are you not? Cousins….” Shuichi decided to ask. “That is why you are going after the Artifacts. You and someone else. You have someone on your team that you lead that dispel magic.”

“Hmm? I can only answer one question, Shumai. Shame on you for trying to defeat the game.” Kokichi looked at his nails as he sipped his wine glass with an air of impartiality. It made Shuichi feel as though he was being dismissed by a royal. “Buuut, you did ask a question in those series of guesses. I suppose I can entertain you. Nope!”

“What?!”

“Chiaki? Me? Related? What reasoning did you have there?” Kokichi hummed.

“You look alike. I saw her portrait when I was on the Island.” Shuichi explained, “your hair is darker than hers, but you have the same face shape. You are also lying. When I mentioned family should be the ones to decide what is done with the artifacts, you proposed this game. You knew I would call you out on it. Ouma-kun, you are trying to steal-”

“It is a lovely thought.” Kokichi cut through, interrupting him. “A benevolent thief is trying to steal back their legacy and inheritance. Honestly, it would. However, if I was that type of thief, Saihara-chan, why did I not just stop at the Pin of Nanami?”

“Because you want to prove something,” Shuichi pressed. “You are targeting places that are hard to get in and out of, and you are doing it somehow.”

“Somehow.” Kokichi hummed, “Okay. Saihara-chan has thoughts of grandeur, does he not? Thoughts of a kind lie. It is a kind lie to believe in, that I would do this for family. However, what family does an orphan boy have, Saihara-chan?”

Shuichi’s mouth closed.

“No. I promised you the truth, and so the truth you shall get. I am not related to Nanami-chan. But I suppose you are not wrong in one regard. I do have something to prove. I will do anything to prove it too. Think about it, Saihara-chan. Why am I attacking _now_ of all times?” 

Shuichi tried to come up with an answer, but Kokichi was already sliding off the stool, shooting the rest of the wine down his throat as though it was a vodka shot. He placed the empty glass back onto the counter before leaning over and pressing a chaste kiss against Shuichi’s left cheek.

“I already got this far,” Kokichi whispered, hot breath coating Shuichi’s ear and making him shiver involuntarily. “I could not reach the Collar, but...I can get everything else. I can get the Tiara, and I can get the Camera...Will you stop me, Saihara-chan? Are you my rival, after all?” He leaned back, grinning. “Anyway, it was nice playing with you! Let us play again soon.” 

Shuichi tried to reach out towards Kokcihi, but the thief already slipped away and disappeared into the crowd of games and people. 

But fuck, he completely forgot got to use his one question to ask about the next target.


End file.
